7 More Minutes

The Tale Of The Girl and Her Overalls

5 Rules That Will Elevate Your Work Look

Getting Ready Time: 18 minutes.

Once upon a time there was a girl who worked in an office. The girl worked in a strict office, the type where they impose the ‘no denim’ rule. The type where no one was allowed to hang jackets on the back of their chairs or have more than a single mug (with a big company logo naturally) visible on the table. There were even regular visits from HR to check the employee’s drawers for ‘neatness’, and if someone was more than one minute late to work, there was the Official Call from the aforementioned HR. The girl liked working in that company, but her free and fashion-loving spirit rebelled against the strict rules. So the girl found a way to wear her everyday clothes in such a way, that even the sternest of HR beasts could not disapprove.

Take my overalls for example. Yes, you might think that this particular item might irritate the hell out of your Office Manager (an additional bonus for some), but trust me, with a little attention to details you can easily pull it off. So here are a few helpful tips on how to make the overalls work for the office:

Overalls Rule Book

Fabric is key. If you work for ‘The Man’ and your work environment is less Google, more British Conservative Party[1], stick to wool-blend or crepe. It will immediately give your outfit a much smarter appearance[2].

Keep the accessories to a minimum. No flashy zippers, oversized buttons or layered jewellery! Stud earrings, dainty necklaces and a watch. If you are not a fan of small jewellery, you can try wearing a single oversized statement piece. For example a large cuff bracelet.

A white shirt can make everything appear more grown-up and elegant. I would suggest investing in one with some interesting details, whether it’s puffy sleeves, ruffles or embroidery (white on white always looks incredibly chic).

Shoes are important. Overalls will immediately give you a more youthful and carefree look, so keep it grounded with a smart pair of shoes. Platform brogue can be a good alternative to a classic heel, but fair warning: they make it rather hard to descend the stairs without falling. While platforms are superb and fun, they won’t exactly make you feel graceful.

[1] Theresa May, if you are reading this: I’m afraid you just can’t get away with overalls. Sorry.[2] If you are feeling brave, try leather. But frankly, it’s is a grey area.[3] Light blue denim, in this case, would not be appropriate, even if you office does allow jeans.

I’m wearing: denim overalls by Asos, shirt by Roberto Cavalli (it’s sold out, but you can try a similar style from DKNY here or an off the shoulder style from Asos here), shoes by Stella McCartney, bag by Bertoni 1949 ( Aspinal also does an amazing version of the trunk bag and they have many different colour options here), ring by Sybarite.